Disability and Wheelchair Darts
Besides the major dartboard manufactures there are but a few pioneers in the world of darts. Dart players are always looking for something new that may improve their game; however Australian Russ Strobel has turned his attention to wheelchair users.
In 2010 Russ submitted to the Darts Australia a new recommended dartboard height for Wheelchair users. The height Russ has come up with is 137cm to the centre Bull. The height was based on the perceived origins of the standard hanging height of the standard clock dartboard. It is said the average height of a man in the England UK was 5’8” around 1920’s, the height to the centre bullseye of a standard board. Modern adjustments make that 173cm. Russ has taken this analogy and worked out what the height would be should a man of 5’8” (173cm) be sitting in a wheelchair. His exact figure came out to be 136.5cm however as Russ explains the addition of 0.5cm would make the recommended wheelchair dartboard height easy to remember 137cm (wheelchair) - 173cm (Standard). I agree with you Russ we all like things easy to recall.
The aim Russ has in mind is for wheelchair users to be able to compete alongside an able body player so Russ has come up with a unique dartboard stand that rotates. A dartboard is mounted on both sides of the rotating panel allowing for quick and easy adjustment between players throws. On one side a dartboard is hung at the conventional height of 173cm and on the other 137cm. This pioneering approach certainly gets Darts501.com’s seal of approval and it also seems dartboard and darts manufacture Puma has recognised the Australian Darts ruling and is now providing the new wheelchair dartboard setup instructions on it’s website. In October 2012 Russ met with the World Darts Federation in Hull (England, UK) regarding approval of the revised dartboard height for wheelchair users. He was delighted to report that after several years of campaigning the lowered board height has been approved by the WDF and will consequently open the sport of darts to players with disability in the now 70 member countries affiliated with the WDF.
Darts has always been the sport you can play across gender and age difference also hasn’t posed a problem nor should disability. To set up a board at a different height should not cause tournament sponsors an issue and I personally believe this can only be good for the sport.
Above is Russ Strobel’s Wildfire 137 Dart Frame.
The only additional ruling to wheelchair darts is that both rear wheels of the chair must be behind the oche throwing line. The chair can be horizontal to the board as some players may prefer this.
Wheelchair Dartboard Set-up Diagram
Disability Darts Champions
WDDA Masters 2014 - 2018 / World Championship 2020 -
(WDDA) Masters / World Championship
The Winmau WDDA World Masters (Disability Championship) first event took place in 2014 as a demonstration event following a long campaign to review the dartboard height for wheelchair players. The World Disability Darts Association (WDDA) finally gained approval from the WDF and BDO for the reduce dartboard height for Wheelchair players, 137cm to the centre of the bullseye the rest is now history.
The Disability final is best of 5 legs played on a dual board set-up designed explicitly, so a wheelchair player and a standing player are competing directly against one another.
This event has now been replaced with the WDDA World Championships (Sponsored by Winmau). The WDDA Masters formed part of the sponsored Winmau (BDO) Masters. However, in 2019 the BDO gained a new sponsor for the Master and dartboards used across their events and the disability event was not part of the agenda. Winmau in their wisdom, moved the WDDA Master to the Netherlands and renamed the WDDA masters to the WDDA World Championships. I have kept the event history as one event because the qualifying path is the same.
This event has now been replaced with the WDDA World Championships (Sponsored by Winmau)
2023
My apologies to regular readers as regards the currency of available information, events and results.
I am informed that two major organisations now run the disability darts, the WDDA and ParaDarts.
Despite my best efforts to maintain the historical results for you to see, I am unable to provide further results in this sector of darts. I have tried contacting the disabled darts organisations and the main sponsor of the WDDA World Championships. The sponsor doesn't know the results, so they forwarded my enquiry to the disability darts organisation, and I have received no reply.
The two separate associations, WDDA / ParaDarts, run their own events. It is still unclear to me who belongs to which association or if any belong to both. The original WDDA website has gone, but the revised site hasn't been updated for over a year at the time of publishing this statement. It doesn't feature historical results, but there may be some in-date information for disability players to read.
I have supported disability darts from day one. However, due to the difficulties obtaining information, I will not continue to maintain this section.
2024
Although I do not receive regular updates from the disability darts community, I can see several disability dart websites have now been removed from the internet, including the WDDA. World Para Darts now seems to have taken its place and is affiliated with the WDF. I can no longer find the British, English, Welsh or Scottish disability websites that once existed. However, in some cases, domains change, and others may filter their way through.
Regarding Para Darts / Disutility Darts, I will no longer be publishing major event winners as I have done. However, if you are interested in these events, I suggest you look at the World Para Darts Website.
The last event records seem like a one-off event. The PDC / WDDA World Matchplay 2022
PDC / WDDA World Matchplay
WDDA World Matchplay Ladies Final
Debbie McBride 2-0 Avril Murphy Patrick
WDDA World Matchplay Classic Final
Paul Hampton 2-1 Davie Patterson
WDDA World Matchplay Compris Final
Jordon Sheppard 2-1 Robert Sutherland
WDDA World Masters 2014 -2018 / World Championships 2020 - Past Champions
The Masters was not played in 2019
| Year | Winner | Legs | Legs | Runner-up | |
| 2020 | Kwanghee Cho | 3 | - | 1 | Mike Callaghan |
| 2018 | Michael Davis | 3 | - | 1 | Ricky Chilton |
| 2017 | Kevin Turner | 3 | - | 1 | Phil Lees |
| 2016 | Vince D'Hondt | 3 | - | 0 | Richard Green |
| 2015 | Vince D'Hondt | 3 | - | 0 | Ricky Chilton |
| 2014 | Ricky Chilton | 3 | - | 2 | Phil Lees |
The World Disability Darts Association (WDDA) Winmau World Team Cup
The first World Disability World Cup was played 22-24th February 2019. Teams from several countries took part including England, Wales, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Denmark plus tow additional groups team Europe and the Rest of the World. England, Germany and Belgium submitted two teams each to compete in the first WDDA World team cup.
Earlier phase is a group round-robin. Four groups of three teams and one of four compete against each other with the two teams progressing to the quarter-final knock-outs.
The quarter-finals through to the finals is a best of 17 legs.
The event also includes two singles categories: Wheelchair and Standing.
WDDA Winmau World Team Cup Champions, Runners-up and Bronze Medallist
| Year | Winner | Legs | - | Legs | Runner-up | Joint third | Joint third |
| 2022 | Belguim (A) | 9 | - | 1 | France | Netherlands | Hungary |
| 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2019 | England (A) | 9 | - | 7 | Wales | Netherlands | Belgium |
WDDA Winmau World Singles Cup - Wheelchair
| Year | Winner | Legs | Legs | Runner-up | |
| 2022 | Vincent D'Hondt | 4 | - | 1 | Ricky Chilton |
| 2021 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2019 | Vincent D'Hondt | 4 | - | 1 | Ricky Chilton |
WDDA Winmau World Singles Cup - LadiesWheelchair
| Year | Winner | Legs | Legs | Runner-up | |
| 2022 | Chole Francq | 2 | - | 1 | Chanine Vriezen |
WDDA Winmau World Singles Cup - Standing
| Year | Winner | Legs | Legs | Runner-up | |
| 2022 | Evi Foulon | 4 | - | 1 | Paul Gelder |
| 2021 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2019 | Pete Bramley | 3 | - | 0 | Jackie Goethals |
WDDA Winmau World Singles Cup - Ladies Standing
| Year | Winner | Legs | Legs | Runner-up | |
| 2022 | Gabby Wehrt | 3 | - | 1 | Bianka Stauch |
Pairs events also took place at the World Trophy Not recorded here.
World Para Darts
The World Para Darts s growing at a fast rate, and new affiliated Countries are joining all the time. This means there will be more tournaments for disabled players to compete in around the World. For current information and tournament details in the Country, you may reside contact the World Para Darts
World Para Darts : World Para Darts